Whinning

Area

88,882 m² (8.89 ha, 21.96 acres)

Buildings

3 buildings touch it, 1,036 m² on the ground

Zoning

No zone of a development plan covers it in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply.

Townland

Whinning

Planning applications on this parcel

• 29 May 2025Conditional

  Portlick Castle is a protected structure listed under Westmeath County Council RPS 022-026 (Tower House and Castle) and 022-027 (outbuildings and coach house) and recorded under NIAH Reg No. 15402212 (Castle). Portlick Castle is also a Recorder Monument with SMR No. WM022-045. Permission is sought for a formal change of use of the previously converted private residence into a Guest House/Function Venue, with 12 number existing bedrooms with en-suites within the castle and coach house, commercial kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, bar and lounge, toilets, stores and associated site works. Retention Permission is sought for the following works undertaken since 2020: (i) completed replacement to the Tower Roof at increased roof pitch with Blue Bangor slate covering and new dormer to back elevation as access to viewing balcony behind parapet and roof lights to front elevation replicating positions on removed roof (ii) repair of existing timber windows, replacement of decayed timber window and door heads with concrete lintels (iii) removal of existing rotten and damaged timber windows with timber framed replacements (iv) removal of cement based render to middle section of front elevation and reinstatement of hood mouldings based on historic photos to same, removal of cement based pointing to external stone elevations and replacement with lime based mortar, repairs to various damaged stone window cills, heads and reveals, stone waterspouts and other associated damaged stone wall elements, (v) removal of internal wall dry lining systems exposing original stone masonry and replacement of lime plaster in some areas, (vi) part sub division of upper levels (with en-suites) (vii) exposure and re-pointing of bare rubble walls, partial completion of new internal stud walls, and floors to upper levels(viii) replacement of concrete floors at ground level and in the ‘Great Hall’ at first floor with limecrete floors and underfloor heating, (ix) opening up works throughout the structure and removal of damaged and decayed internal drylining, joinery including skirting boards, door frames and doors, architraves, dado rails and picture rails, repairs to all internal timber floors, walls and ceilings, (x) alterations to the non-historic rear and side extensions including removal of blockwork castellations, fitting of new windows in existing openings, and creation of new window openings (xi) alterations to the coach house involving removal of sand cement render, window and do

  Permission · Westmeath County Council, 2560266

• 13 Feb 2025N/a

  Retention Permission for completed essential repair works to the Tower Roof consisting of the removal of non-historic fibre cement roof slates and replacement with Blue Bangor slate covering on repaired and replaced roof timbers at slightly increased roof pitch complete with new dormer roof design on back elevation (Northwest facing) including door and side light access to parapet area, replacement of existing dormer windows and roof gutter system, removal of cement based plaster to front elevation (south east facing) and mortar pointing to all other external stone elevations of existing external walls and replacement with Lime based mortar including repairs to various damaged stone window cills, heads and reveals, stone waterspouts and other associated damaged stone wall elements, removal of all internal concrete floors (at ground floor level and first floor level in Great Hall) and replacement with Limecrete floors and underfloor heating systems. Also, retention permission for repair and replacement of existing timber windows and refurb of others with new and repaired timber casement openings and glass together with repairs to decayed timber window and door heads with concrete lintels, the removal of damaged and rotten internal wall dry lining systems and replacement of same with limecrete plaster finish to repaired walls, replacement of damaged and decayed internal joinery including skirting boards, door frames and doors, architraves, dado rails and picture rails, repairs to all internal timber floors, walls and ceilings together with all associated site works. The facility has an existing functioning waste water treatment system (WWTS) and percolation area and a potable water supply from an existing well. Planning permission is also sought for revised internal room layouts for all 8 bedrooms including essential repairs and revised en-suite bathrooms and toilets off each bedroom, revised commercial kitchen layout and function rooms. The Castle is to be used as a private residence and as a public guest/function venue and will host small weddings and similar type functions. Permission is sought for a bar, a bar licence and internal refurb works to the existing function rooms, lounges, toilets and existing structures to the rear (north west facing elevation) including existing roads, car parking areas, fences, boundaries, landscaping and all existing associated site works

  Retention · Westmeath County Council, 2560043

• 27 Feb 2019Conditional

  Extension of existing recreational building to provide additional dressing rooms and shower areas and all associated site works

  Permission · Westmeath County Council, 197044

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Lough Ree SAC 000440
• Special Protection Area: Lough Ree SPA 004064
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Lough Ree 000440

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 2 recorded monuments.

• WM022-003 Cross-slab
  Description

  The precise location of this cross-slab discovered in 1976 by Billy English (Fanning and Ó hÉailidhe 1980, 12) has not been identified, the slab was reportedly removed from the orchard wall before 1980 (ibid., 19). The location of this cross-slab was recorded as incorporated into the fabric of the S wall of a garden located 195m S of Portlick Castle (WM022-045----). This garden wall marks the boundary between the townlands of Whinning and Portlick. The slab was described in the SMR file as ‘now missing’ and as a ‘small sandstone slab inserted into the outer wall of the garden attached to Portlick Castle (WM022-045----). The slab contains a small Greek cross with expanded bifurcated terminals which touch the double banded circle enclosing the cross. The slab measures 5cm in length by 28cms in width and the encircled cross has a diam.[eter] of 16.5cm. The grooves on the cross is very shallow and slightly deep in the circle. It could be a consecration or dedication cross’ (ibid. 19). This cross-slab may be associated with possible early Christian church site (WM022-014001-/002-) located 200m to SSE (Reilly 2016, 113). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 29 July 2017

• WM022-045 Castle - tower house
  Description

  Multi-period castle originally built by the Dillon family and extended over the centuries. Castle stands 125m S of Portlick Bay on the E shoreline of Lough Ree. A place-name marked 'Togher' is depicted 100m N of the castle on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map, with Rabbit Warren depicted 60m to NNE. On this map an area called 'Church Park' is depicted 270m to the S. This park contains the remains of a graveyard (WM022-014----), a possible church site (WM022-014002-), possible early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure (WM022-014002-), an early Christian cross-slab (WM022-014003-) and a motte and bailey castle (WM022--015---). An early Christian cross-slab (WM022-003----) now lost but recorded in 1976 as built into S wall of orchard 180m S of Portlick Castle may have originally come from the graveyard in the 'Church Park'. According to Walsh (1915, 86) 'The barony of Kilkenny West was granted to the Dillon family in the twelfth century. The modern family is descended from Henry de Lion who arrived in Ireland in 1185 at the behest of King John. He built his house and chapel at Drumraney and in the centuries that followed the Dillions founded a number of castles and tower houses in the barony of Kilkenny West. Most of them are no longer extant except for Portlick Castle'. In 1608 King James I confirmed ownership of 'the manor, castle, and lands of Portlicke, with 2 cart.[rons] in Enoyne, Aghnemony, and Lisloghnan, with the fishing belonging and adjoining to the castle of Portlicke' to Sir Theobald Dillon of Kilfaughny (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 124-5). The medieval castle of Portlick is shown on the 1654-7 Down Survey map of Kilkenny West barony where it is depicted as a tower house type fortification with one and a half storey high house attached to E side of tower (NLI, MS 723-4). Tall chimney stacks are shown rising above the roof line of the house. The castle is depicted in a similar fashion on the Down Survey map of Bunowen parish where the estate lands are shown as consisting of 190 acres of land in Portlick and a cartron of land amounting to 125 acres in Whinning. The terrier of the Down Survey map of Bunowen parish stated that ‘on Portlicke Standes a Castle’ and that Garratt Dillon, an Irish papist was the owner of the castle and lands of Portlicke. Garratt Dillon was also listed as the owner of 204 acres of lands in the adjoining townland of Liskilling [Lissakillen North & South] and 98 acres of ‘Red Bog’ also in Liskilling (ibid.). Portlick Castle was the residence of the Dillon family until 1696 when its resident Garret Dillon was declared attainted and his property was confiscated by the Williamite government. The confiscated estate measuring 356 acres was granted to Thomas Keightly, a member of the Privy Council of Ireland who sold the lands of Portlick, Whinnings, Cartron and ⅓ of the Great Island to William Palmer of Dublin. In 1703 Reverend Robert Smyth of Dublin purchased the lands of Portlick Castle amounting to 190 acres (Sheehan 1978, 68). The estate was sold by the Smyth family in 1954 (ibid.). Portlick Castle was described by Bence-Jones (1978, 233) as following; ‘An old keep with a battlemented later wing. In the nineteenth century, the seat of Robert Ralph Smyth and then of his nephew, Robert Wolfe Smyth’. The castle was described by Casey and Rowan (1993, 303) as following; ‘The back of the Portlick Castle shows the Dillon tower house as a severe rectangular block adjoined by a plain Georgian range, two storeys by seven bays. The tower, probably fifteenth century, is of impressive bulk. Four storeys high, it incorporates within a regular plan four projected corner towers. These appear on the exterior only as the thinnest of loops with small first and second floor mullion windows in the central block, giving a harsh defensive character to the castle. The Georgian wing added by the Smyths is gabled and rough-cast, with sash windows on both floors and a centrally placed staircase. About 1860 further changes were made to the castle by Robert Ralph Smyth, who added a large castellated block across the front of the Georgian wing. Portlick's entrance front now reads as two towers joined by a low two bay Georgian link. The new "tower" is a two storey rubble block with stepped battlements and large mullioned windows divided into the traditional late Georgian proportions of a Wyatt window. The original tower has a machicolation chute projecting above the original entrance and many small mullioned windows which appear to have been added during the Victorian rebuild’. The castle was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [NIAH] as following: ‘Three-bay four-storey late medieval tower house, built c.1500, with later seven-bay two-storey extension added to the southwest, c.1800, and a two-bay two-storey castellated block added to the southwest corner of this extension, c.1865. Extension, c.1990, to the northeast end. Now in use as an hotel. Pitched natural slate roofs hidden behind raised parapets with Irish-style battlements. Machicolation chute to northwest face of tower house at third and fourth floor level, above original entrance. Rendered chimneystacks with terracotta chimneypots. Tower house constructed of rubble limestone and rendered finish to later Georgian wing, c.1800. Later castellated extension constructed using snecked limestone with cut limestone trim, including projecting string courses with corbels. Square-headed openings with cut stone mullions and loop hole openings to tower house, square-headed openings to later Georgian wing with replacement windows. Square-headed window openings with dressed stone surrounds, cut stone mullions and hoodmouldings to castellated wing having replacement timber casement windows. Round-headed doorcase with timber sheeted door to northwest face of tower house, square-headed doorcase with cut stone surround to north face of c.1865 extension with modern timber door. An imposing and impressive late-medieval tower house with a number of later nineteenth century castellated extensions, which retain their early form, character and a great deal of the original fabric. It represents an excellent example of the continued use of a large-scale structure from the medieval period, illustrating changing architectural tastes and styles over a four hundred year period. The c. 1865 extension was added following a fire in 1861, which destroyed much of the interior of the existing castle. The tower house was originally constructed c.1500 by the Dillion Family who lived here until 1696, when it was taken over by the Crown and granted to Thomas Keightly, a member of King William's privy council in Ireland. It was sold, c.1700, to William Palmer of Dublin, who promptly sold it on to the Smyth Family, of Barbavilla House (15400813) near Collinstown, who remained in ownership of Portlick Castle into the twentieth century’ (http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WM&regno=15402212)

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Download this parcel: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program; GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map.

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.